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The  Advisory  Committee 

By  Bertha  Conde 


The  Advisory  Committee 

By  Bertha  Conde 

Senior  Student  Secretary 


National  Board 

of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations 

600  Lexington  Avenue,  New  York  City 

1916 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/advisorycommitteOOcond 


The  Advisory  Committee 

By  Bertha  Conde 


In  every  college  community  there  are  extra-curriculum 
organizations  called  out  by  some  need  or  common  bond  felt 
by  the  students.  These  cannot  be  expressed  through  the 
official  academic  curriculum.  They  represent  the  enthusiasms, 
the  initiative,  the  idealisms  of  youth  which  the  right  kind 
of  education  is  bound  to  generate,  else  it  has  failed  in  its 
work.  When  Dr.  Charles  Francis  Adams  once  wisely  defined 
a college  as  “an  idea  plus  an  inspiration”  he  described  in  a 
nutshell  the  modern  campus  lecture  halls  where  ideas  are 
caught  by  eager  students  who,  in  turn,  go  out  into  the 
student  community  and  draw  together  kindred  spirits  in  all 
sorts  of  activities  where  the  inspiration  is  expressed.  Thus 
it  has  come  to  be  that  the  dynamic  of  the  idea  is  worked  out 
in  all  sorts  of  student  organizations  which  help  to  keep  the 
life  wholesome  and  vigorous.  The  value  of  them  lies  chiefly 
in  the  fact  that  they  are  voluntary,  and  represent  the  spon- 
taneous life  of  the  students  themselves.  Athletics,  social 
comradeship,  literary  and  political  kinships,  and  religious 
organizations  spring  up  and  express  the  real,  unofficial  life 
of  the  students. 

Thus  the  Student  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association 
came  to  be,  to  meet  the  need  of  the  students  who  longed  for 
the  voluntary  comradeship  of  other  Christian  students  in 
their  spiritual  life  and  wanted  a common  meeting  place  for 
those  whose  enthusiasms  were  centered  around  a devotion 
to  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Kingdom.  Students  are  responsible 
for  creating  the  Association  and  for  the  conduct  of  its 
activities.  Its  democracy  and  its  independence  should  be 

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safeguarded  at  every  point.  It  is  right  that  the  students 
themselves  should  control  their  own  organization. 

This  elemental  need  for  Christian  fellowship  showed  itself 
in  scores  of  colleges.  As  they  came  to  recognize  their  com- 
mon needs  and  to  develop  intercollegiate  bonds  the  natural 
outcome  was  the  organization  of  a national  student  move- 
ment, to  take  charge  of  intercollegiate  interest  and  extension 
of  the  work.  It  also  made  it  possible  for  each  student  Asso- 
ciation to  profit  from  the  experience  of  the  others.  The 
individual  Associations  grew  likewise  in  size  and  complexity, 
and  began  to  feel  a moral  responsibility  not  only  for  their 
own  membership  but  for  the  righteousness  of  the  whole 
college  community.  In  certain  of  the  larger  colleges  and 
universities  the  Association  was  expected  to  take  the  initia- 
tive in  providing  for  many  of  the  personal  and  social  needs 
of  women  students,  and  this  often  involved  some  provision 
for  permanency  which  the  transient  undergraduate  could  not 
guarantee.  There  was  need  that  a group  of  people  connected 
with  the  faculty  and  alumnae,  who  had  a perspective  of  the 
whole  college  in  its  relation  to  the  religious  forces  of  the 
churches  and  the  intercollegiate  student  movement,  should  be 
associated  with  the  undergraduates  as  counselors,  comrades 
and  friends.  In  this  way  Advisory  Committees  grew  up. 

I.  Three  Classes  of  Student  Associations  Needing  Advisory 
Committees 

(1)  Universities  and  colleges  in  which  the  work  of  the 
Association  involves  the  employment  of  a salaried  officer 
known  as  the  General  Secretary. 

(2)  Colleges  without  secretaries,  where  the  Association  is 
nevertheless  so  large  that  problems  of  relating  it  to  the  life 
of  the  institution  and  the  churches  are  beyond  the  ability  of 
an  undergraduate  cabinet  carrying  full  academic  work;  or 
where  social  activities,  such  as  student  employment  bureaus, 
residence  halls,  boarding  house  canvasses,  lunch  rooms,  book- 
shops, etc.,  are  being  carried  by  the  Association  to  supply 
needs  not  being  met  by  the  administration. 

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(3)  Institutions  in  which,  as  in  the  case  of  normal  colleges 
and  professional  schools,  the  majority  of  the  student  body  is 
new  every  year,  and  where  the  course  does  not  cover  more 
than  two  years,  thus  making  a permanent  committee  neces- 
sary to  aid  in  reorganization  each  year  and  to  provide  a 
continuous  growth  for  the  Association. 

Associations  in  colleges  where  the  student  body  is  not  over 
two  hundred  in  number,  and  where  the  college  administration 
provides  officially  for  the  social,  moral  and  religious  needs  of 
its  students,  do  not  require  Advisory  Committees,  but  should 
have  a faculty  advisory  officer  to  counsel  with  the  students 
about  the  best  ways  of  relating  the  voluntary  religious  life 
of  the  Association  to  the  plans  and  ideals  of  the  college. 

II.  General  Responsibilities  of  the  Advisory  Committee 
As  its  name  indicates,  the  Advisory  Committee  is  no  more 
a legislative  body  than  is  the  Cabinet.  The  responsibility  for 
legislation  is  vested  in  the  Association’s  voting  membership, 
and  both  the  Advisory  Committee  and  the  Cabinet  are 
executive  committees  elected  for  the  purpose  of  studying  the 
needs  of  the  organization  and  making  recommendations  to 
the  membership  for  vote.  The  Cabinet  voices  the  desires 
of  the  undergraduates  and  the  Advisory  Committee  views 
the  Association  as  a force  to  be  wielded,  in  relation  to  the 
other  organized  life  of  the  college  and  the  churches  and  the 
resources  of  the  outside  world.  Therefore,  the  general  work 
of  the  Advisory  Committee  centers  largely  around  the 
thought  of  relationships. 

(1)  Relation  to  the  Institution 
The  committee  should  be  the  interpreter  of  the  Association 
and  its  moral  backer  in  the  eyes  of  the  college  authorities. 
Just  as  certain  faculty  members  and  alumni  are  regarded  by 
the  college  as  leaders  whose  counsel  is  sought  in  important 
matters,  so  the  Advisory  Committee  should  be  constituted  of 
those  people  who  in  the  eyes  of  the  college  are  leaders  in 
moral  and  religious  thinking,  who  are  the  natural  ones  to 

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give  counsel  in  matters  of  religious  education.  Their  very 
names  should  carry  weight  because  of  their  academic  interest 
in  the  problem  of  relating  moral  and  religious  culture  to 
student  life.  The  Association  should  be  on  the  part  of  the 
committee  the  laboratory  for  research  and  experiment  in  the 
development  of  Christian  character.  In  turn,  the  committee 
should  help  the  Association  to  think  in  terms  of  the  whole 
university  community  and  to  perfect  its  methods  of  dealing 
with  the  spiritual  life  of  students. 

(2)  Relation  to  Other  Student  Organizations 
In  the  intensity  of  Association  activity  it  often  happens 
that  the  Cabinet  does  not  relate  itself  to  other  college  organ- 
izations which  need  the  “moral  jasm”  that  the  Association 
generates.  The  Advisory  Committee,  detached  from  the 
student  vortex,  will  often  see  ways  in  which  the  Association 
can  contribute  to  the  spiritual  victories  that  need  to  be  won 
in  college  athletics,  social  life,  politics,  and  class-room 
honor,  and  can  inspire  the  Association  leaders  to  strategic 
service.  In  this  way  the  committee  sees  the  Association  in 
the  perspective  of  the  whole  student  life. 

(3)  Relation  to  the  Church  Forces  of  the  Community 
Students  are  so  prone  to  consider  themselves  apart  from 
the  college  town  that  they  sometimes  find  it  difficult  to  cor- 
relate the  work  of  the  Association  with  the  religious  work 
of  the  churches.  In  this  way  the  spiritual  life  of  the  students 
is  deprived  of  much  help  toward  growth  and  normal  Chris- 
tian living.  The  Advisory  Committee,  made  up  as  it  is  of 
permanent  residents  of  the  town,  in  touch  with  the  various 
church  plans,  can  do  much  to  connect  the  Association  with 
church  activities  and  to  bring  the  local  ministers  into  touch 
with  the  students.  The  present  plans  for  Voluntary  Study 
classes  of  students  in  the  church  Sunday  schools,  and  the 
work  of  student  pastors  in  State  universities,  offer  large 
opportunities  to  the  Advisory  Committee  for  the  wide 
promotion  of  church  relationships. 

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(4)  Relation  to  Alumnae  Members 

Many  Christian  leaders  are  developed  during  undergradu- 
ate days  through  work  in  the  Christian  Association.  Many 
of  these  need  to  be  conserved  for  Christian  vocations  of  all 
kinds.  Many  of  them  continue  their  relation  to  the  local  As- 
sociation as  contributors  to  the  support  of  the  general  secre- 
tary. Constant  appeals  come  to  every  college  for  names  of 
graduates  who  are  needed  for  missionary  work,  church  work, 
and  other  Christian  social  service.  The  Advisory  Committee 
is  the  permanent  committee  which  can  best  keep  in  touch 
with  the  leaders  who  have  gone  out,  and  continue  to  inspire 
them  for  other  service  and  relate  them  to  the  needs  and  calls 
that  may  come.  In  this  way  the  permanent  Christian  leader- 
ship of  the  college  is  conserved. 

(5)  Relation  to  the  Vested  Interests  of  the  Association. 

Many  student  Associations  now  have  buildings  and  equip- 
ment of  their  own.  Some  have  the  beginnings  of  an  endow- 
ment for  the  support  of  a secretary.  The  Cabinet  officers 
change  each  year  and  soon  leave  college,  so  it  is  essential  that 
an  Advisory  Committee  should  guard  the  vested  interests  of 
the  Association.  This  is  also  necessary  if  the  Association 
leases  rooms  or  buildings  for  its  work,  or  needs  to  guard  val- 
uable papers  or  deeds  in  safety  deposit  boxes. 

(6)  Relation  to  the  Permanent  Policy  of  the  Association 

In  view  of  the  constant  changes  in  the  Cabinet  there  is  an 
important  work  for  the  Advisory  Committee  to  do  in  helping 
to  safeguard  the  traditions  of  the  Association.  Many  mis- 
takes are  likely  to  be  repeated  year  by  year  which  would  be 
unnecessary  if  the  Advisory  Committee,  in  its  continuous 
work  with  successive  Cabinets,  did  its  duty  in  supplying  a 
sense  of  historic  continuity  to  the  Association.  Many  meth- 
ods and  activities  change  with  each  new  administration,  but 
there  are  settled  policies  that  grow  with  the  years  and  should 
enrich  the  work  for  all  time.  There  are  some  things  that  do 
not  need  to  be  wrought  out  through  experience  but  once,  and 

7 


the  Advisory  Committee  is  in  a position  to  pass  on  this  in- 
heritance to  the  new  students.  For  example,  the  Association 
may  have  spent  much  time  in  investigating  the  matter  of 
student  employment  and  decided  that  it  was  not  wise  to  un- 
dertake it.  This  should  be  so  understood  by  the  Advisory 
Committee  that  any  new  Cabinet  should  not  have  to  make  the 
same  study  in  order  to  reaffirm  the  conclusions  of  previous 
Cabinets. 

(7)  Relation  to  the  National  Interests 

The  Advisory  Committee  can  give  much  help  to  the  Asso- 
ciation by  keeping  in  touch  with  the  experience  that  has  been 
gained  by  other  Associations,  which  is  being  compiled  and 
issued  through  the  publications  of  the  National  Board,  and 
should  interpret  it  for  the  use  of  the  local  Association. 

III.  Selection  of  Members  of  the  Advisory  Committee 

The  ideal  number  of  this  Committee  is  likely  to  vary  in 
different  Associations.  There  are  certain  principles,  however, 
which  should  underly  the  selection  of  members. 

(1)  The  Committee  should  be  composed  only  of  responsible 
members  who  can  give  sufficient  time  to  the  work  to  be  of  real 
service. 

(2)  Do  not  select  members  primarily  because  of  a desire 
to  interest  them  in  the  Association,  but  because  they  have 
some  real  contribution  to  make  to  the  work  and  its  relation- 
ships. Ordinarily  the  members  should  be  those  who  are  well 
known  for  their  interest  in  the  Christian  life  of  the  students 
and  the  problems  of  religious  education.  They  may  not  have 
come  in  touch  with  the  work  of  the  Association  before,  but 
are  interested  in  the  same  purposes. 

(3)  Experience  has  shown  that  it  is  a great  mistake  to 
ask  members  to  serve  without  being  sure  of  their  genuine 
interest  in  the  religious  as  well  as  the  social  ends  of  the  As- 
sociation. The  distinctive  work  of  the  student  Association  is 
its  character-making  power,  through  the  Bible  study,  religious 
conferences  and  purposes  for  Christian  living  that  crystallize 
naturally  in  girls  of  college  age;  and  its  leaders  need  the  re- 

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inforcement  of  mature  Christian  women  who  have  great  sym- 
pathy for  young  people  and  stand  ready  to  give  constructive 
help  in  the  inevitable  spiritual  struggles  of  student  life. 

(4)  The  members  of  the  Committee,  according  to  the  con- 
stitution of  Associations  affiliated  with  the  national  student 
movement,  are  those  who  qualify  for  voting  membership  by 
being  members  of  Protestant  evangelical  churches.  They 
thus  fulfil  the  same  condition  that  governs  the  selection  of 
the  Cabinet.  As  far  as  possible,  other  things  being  equal, 
they  should  represent  different  Christian  denominations. 

(5)  Each  member  of  the  Committee  should  assume  some 
definite  task  for  which  she  is  responsible.  If  there  are  other 
women  whose  interest  it  is  desirable  to  hold  for  the  Associa- 
tion but  who  cannot  assume  responsibilities,  they  can  be 
invited  to  a conference  with  the  Committee,  when  reports  can 
be  made  and  general  discussion  can  be  held  on  some  subject 
of  vital  importance  to  the  religious  or  social  interests  of  the 
students. 

(6)  The  usual  term  of  service  on  the  Committee  is  three 
years,  and  the  elections  are  so  arranged  that  the  terms  of 
one-third  of  the  members  expire  each  year.  Sometimes  it 
may  be  desirable  to  re-elect  a member  for  another  term,  but 
this  should  not  be  taken  for  granted,  as  there  is  need  for  new 
people  and  new  points  of  view  on  perennial  subjects.  It  is 
essential  that  the  committee  members  should  share  the  faith 
and  enthusiasm  of  the  students  as  they  meet  old  problems 
for  the  first  time. 

(7)  The  membership  of  the  committee  should  include  men 
and  women  faculty  members  who  are  influential  in  matters  of 
Christian  education,  and  alumnae  who  are  still  related  to 
college  interests  and  are  not  too  far  from  undergraduate  days. 
At  least  one  member  should  be  some  one  who  is  an  expert  in 
business  sense  and  has  had  experience  in  finance. 

(8)  The  president  and  treasurer  of  the  student  Associa- 
tion are  members  of  the  Advisory  Committee,  and  the  Gen- 
eral secretary,  if  .there  is  one,  is  a member  ex-officio.  When 

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the  committee  is  made  up  entirely  of  women,  closer  intimacy 
is  established  in  working  together,  but  the  main  interest 
should  be  to  have  a committee  that  is  best  fitted  to  relate  the 
Association  to  the  institution  and  to  the  life  of  the  community, 
and  one  which  will  insure  an  adequate  financial  support. 

(9)  A most  important  piece  of  work  is  the  relating  of  the 
Association  to  the  work  of  the  local  churches.  The  committee 
members  should  be  so  close  to  the  church  life  that  they  will 
appreciate  keenly  both  the  work  of  the  church  and  the  Asso- 
ciation. It  is  more  effective  to  have  the  churches  represented 
by  lay  members  rather  than  in  an  official  way  by  student  pas- 
tors or  pastor’s  wives.  There  will  be  occasions,  however, 
when  the  mutual  interests  of  both  will  necessitate  joint  con- 
ferences, in  which  the  church  pastors  and  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Association  leaders  should  be  included  as  well  as 
faculty  leaders. 

(10)  The  Dean  or  Adviser  of  Women  is  almost  indispen- 
sable as  a committee  member,  because  of  her  intimate  connec- 
tion with  the  women  students.  If  her  duties  are  so  executive 
that  she  does  not  wish  to  undertake  the  full  obligations  of 
committee  membership,  or  if  her  church  connection  is  not 
such  that  she  could  be  asked  as  an  active  member,  she  may 
give  most  helpful  service  as  a member  ex-officio. 

IV.  Organization  of  the  Advisory  Committee 

In  organizing  the  committee  for  the  first  time  the  members 
of  the  committee  should  be  elected  by  the  Association  mem- 
bers upon  nomination  of  the  Cabinet  at  the  time  of  annual 
election  of  officers.  The  terms  of  office  should  be  so  arranged 
that  one-third  shall  expire  each  year.  After  the  committee 
is  established,  the  election  should  be  made  for  a term  of  three 
years  by  the  Association  members  at  their  annual  meeting, 
nominations  having  been  made  by  a committee  composed  of 
an  equal  number  from  the  Advisory  Committee,  appointed  by 
its  chairman,  and  from  the  Cabinet,  appointed  by  the  presi- 
dent, with  the  general  secretary  as  a member  ex-officio.  This 
insures  a close  relation  between  the  Cabinet  and  its  Advisory 

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Committee  and  gives  a voice  to  the  voting  membership,  so 
that  each  member  may  feel  a connection  with  the  Advisory 
Committee. 

If  a vacancy  occurs  during  the  year  it  may  be  filled  by  the 
Advisory  Committee  until  the  next  annual  business  meeting, 
when  the  Association  shall  elect  a member  to  fill  the  vacancy 
for  the  remainder  of  the  unexpired  term. 

The  officers  of  the  committee  should  be  a chairman  and  a 
secretary,  who  should  be  elected  by  the  committee  members. 
Rather  than  having  a special  treasurer,  it  is  wise  to  have  the 
treasurer  of  the  Association  act  as  treasurer  of  the  commit- 
tee and  to  have  a system  of  receiving  her  reports  and  of  aud- 
iting accounts,  which  insures  efficiency  in  all  financial  deal- 
ings of  the  organization. 

The  Advisory  Committee  should  appoint  regular  times  for 
meetings.  The  meetings  can  hardly  be  less  frequent  than 
once  a quarter,  and  should  if  possible  be  held  monthly.  At 
each  regular  meeting  the  general  secretary  and  the  treasurer 
of  the  Association  should  present  reports  in  writing.  Certain 
meetings  each  year  should  be  held  as  joint  meetings  with  the 
Cabinet. 


V.  Functions  of  the  Advisory  Committee 
If  the  members  of  the  Advisory  Committee  have  been 
chosen  because  of  their  experience  in  the  problems  of  religious 
education  and  because  of  their  genuine  interest  in  helping  stu- 
dents in  their  search  after  spiritual  reality,  it  will  not  be 
difficult  to  discover  ways  in  which  they  can  be  of  invaluable 
help  to  the  Christian  Association.  Some  of  the  most  impor- 
tant functions  of  the  Association  could  not  be  fulfilled  without 
the  help  of  the  Advisory  Committee.  They  may  be  classified 
under  the  following  heads: 

(1)  Intensive  Activities  of  the  Association 
The  activities  of  the  Association  are  carried  on  through  its 
standing  committees.  Each  of  these  committees  represents 
some  important  department  through  which  the  life  of  the  stu- 

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dent  is  influenced.  Each  member  of  the  Advisory  Committee 
should  be  related  to  some  one  of  these  committees,  not  as  a 
regular  member  but  as  a resource  for  deepening  and  intensi- 
fying the  work;  and  for  doing  a part  of  that  work  which  the 
undergraduate  chairman  is  not  able  to  do.  For  example,  as 
related  to  the  Religious  Meetings  Committee  an  Advisory 
Committee  member  can  do  much  through  the  preparation  of 
an  occasional  form  of  service,  different  from  the  customary 
one.  There  is  often  need  also  that  students  should  have  help 
in  enriching  the  expression  of  their  spiritual  life  through 
their  prayers.  Much  can  be  done  by  some  Advisory  Commit- 
tee member  who  will  write  prayers  for  students  which  can 
be  used  at  some  of  their  meetings  or  in  private  devotions. 
How  much  also  could  be  done  if  some  member  would  help 
some  of  the  younger  students  in  developing  subjects  for  meet- 
ings and  would  guide  them  in  the  outline  of  their  material 
when  leading  meetings!  The  Association  could  also  be  kept 
in  touch  by  the  committee  with  desirable  speakers  for  their 
religious  meetings. 

The  Bible  Study  Committee  needs  the  reinforcement  of  an 
Advisory  Committee  member  who  will  be  so  familiar  with  the 
national  policy  for  Voluntary  Study  (see  leaflet  in  this  series 
on  “Bible  Study  Committee  and  the  Voluntary  Study  Plan”) 
that  she  can  discuss  it  ably  with  the  church  pastors  and  aid 
the  students  in  getting  classes  established  in  the  Sunday 
schools.  She  can  also  keep  the  committee  aware  of  the  best 
books  dealing  with  the  religious  problems  of  students,  and  can 
help  them  in  talking  over  their  difficulties. 

The  member  who  works  with  the  Social  Committee  should 
keep  in  touch  with  the  work  of  the  Social  Morality  Commis- 
sion of  the  National  Board  and  be  ready  to  adapt  its  printed 
material  to  the  needs  of  the  girls  in  her  particular  college. 
She  can  also  do  much  in  helping  the  committee  outline  a series 
of  talks  on  the  social  conduct  of  life,  if  such  a series  is  not 
already  provided  for  through  the  Dean  of  Women.  She  can 
also  work  with  the  committee  in  providing  the  right  kind  of 

12 


social  opportunities  for  the  girls  who  are  naturally  unsocial 
or  timid  in  their  social  approach,  and  there  is  much  to  be  done 
in  preparing  lists  of  wholesome  recreational  reading  which  the 
average  student  knows  little  about. 

On  the  Missionary  Committee  there  is  constant  need  for 
bringing  to  students  the  great  facts  of  progress  in  the  outside 
world  and  the  activities  of  the  church  in  foreign  lands,  and 
for  the  reviewing  of  missionary  books  that  busy  students 
should  know  about  yet  have  little  time  to  read. 

If  there  are  foreign  students  in  the  university  there  is 
muc  ’ that  can  be  done  in  relating  them  to  the  Association,  to 
the  churches,  and  to  the  influences  of  home  life. 

The  Advisory  Committee  can  also  give  much  help  through 
the  Association  News  Committee  by  being  an  authority  on  the 
growth  and  activities  of  the  national  Association  movement 
in  its  phases  of  work  for  the  girl  in  industry,  the  country 
girl,  the  work  among  immigrants  and  the  city  problems.  It 
can  sift  the  material  compiled  by  the  National  Board  for  the 
use  of  the  local  Association,  and  adapt  it  to  the  needs  of  the 
students. 

There  is  also  the  important  work  of  vocational  guidance,  in 
so  far  as  it  relates  to  social  and  religious  work.  An  Advis- 
ory Committee  member  is  well  fitted  to  decide  which  students 
should  take  up  the  Eight  Week  Club  of  social  service  during 
the  summer  and  plan  for  the  training  class  for  such  leaders. 
In  the  same  way  the  wisdom  of  a more  mature  member  is 
needed  to  talk  on  life-work  questions  with  the  students  who 
are  trying  to  decide  where  they  shall  invest  their  lives.  Just 
as  faculty  members  are  asked  to  judge  of  the  teaching  ability 
of  students,  so  the  Advisory  Committee  should  be  equipped  to 
guide  students  in  the  choice  of  missionary  work  under  their 
church  boards  at  home  or  abroad,  the  Young  Women’s  Chris- 
tian Association  secretaryship,  or  other  forms  of  Christian 
social  service. 

In  colleges  where  the  Association  is  trying  to  fill  the  need 
of  some  sort  of  employment  bureau  for  self-supporting  stu- 

13 


dents,  the  help  of  the  Advisory  Committee  is  needed  in  meet- 
ing the  delicate  questions  of  adjustment  between  employers 
and  student  helpers,  questions  which  cannot  easily  be  solved 
by  an  undergraduate.  In  fact,  there  is  no  department  of 
work  undertaken  by  the  Association  that  is  not  made  strong- 
er and  more  efficient  by  the  wise  and  experienced  backing  of 
an  Advisory  Committee  member. 

As  individuals  the  members  of  the  committee  can  do  un- 
limited work.  They  are  needed  as  Bible  class  leaders,  speak- 
ers in  religious  meetings,  and  as  hostesses  of  social  functions. 
If  it  is  possible  for  them  to  give  enough  time  to  become  ac- 
quainted personally  with  the  students,  the  good  they  may  do 
through  their  personal  influence  cannot  be  estimated.  One  of 
the  best  chances  to  know  the  students  in  their  religious  life 
comes  through  attendance  at  a summer  conference.  At  least 
one  member  of  the  Advisory  Committee  should  plan  to  go  to 
the  conference  with  the  college  delegation.  The  social  and 
spiritual  comradeship  there  will  give  one  a big  advantage  in 
the  next  year’s  work. 

(2j  Joint  Administration  with  the  Cabinet 
Although,  as  has  been  said  before,  the  Advisory  Committee 
is  not  a legislative  body,  it  is  a source  of  help  to  the  thinking 
of  the  Cabinet  in  solving  undergraduate  problems.  It  is  also 
an  executive  committee  jointly  with  the  Cabinet  in  the  follow- 
ing responsibilities. 

(a)  In  all  matters  where  the  Advisory  Committee  as  well 
as  the  Cabinet  are  responsible  there  should  be  joint  action 
taken  at  a joint  session  of  the  Cabinet  and  committee. 

(b)  The  Advisory  Committee  is  in  a sense  responsible 
for  the  business  integrity  of  the  Association.  The  budget 
should  therefore  be  discussed  and  approved  in  a joint  session 
of  the  Advisory  Committee  and  Cabinet  and  recommended 
to  the  Association  for  adoption.  The  Cabinet  and  Advisory 
Committee  thus  become  jointly  responsible  for  any  budget  defi- 
cits. The  budget  should  give  a careful  estimate  regarding 
the  probable  financial  resources  and  distribution  of  funds 

14 


for  maintaining  the  Association  and  for  the  help  in  extending 
the  work  of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Association  by 
means  of  the  Field  Committee  and  National  Board,  those 
supervising  agencies  which  provide  not  only  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  movement  in  unorganized  places,  but  make  pos- 
sible the  publications,  summer  conferences,  work  of  the  travel- 
ing secretaries,  etc.,  for  the  local  Associations. 

The  benevolences  of  the  Association,  such  as  its  gifts  to  for- 
eign missionary  work,  depending  as  they  do  upon  the  gener- 
osity of  the  Association  members,  can  be  largely  increased 
by  the  interest  and  co-operation  of  the  Advisory  Committee. 
After  the  budget  is  adopted,  the  Cabinet  and  the  Advisory 
Committee  divide  the  responsibility  for  raising  it. 

(c)  The  Advisory  Committee  and  the  Cabinet  should  ex- 
amine carefully  the  policies  of  the  Association  and  make  any 
suggestions  that  would  make  the  work  more  efficient. 

(d)  In  the  matter  of  choosing  a general  secretary,  the 
Advisory  Committee  and  the  Cabinet  in  joint  session  call  the 
general  secretary,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Association, 
and  the  Advisory  Committee  should  extend  the  call  and  make 
the  business  proposition  to  the  secretary. 

Nominations  for  the  position  of  general  secretary  are  us- 
ually presented  to  the  Advisory  Committee  by  the  field  stu- 
dent secretary,  who  not  only  keeps  closely  in  touch  with  the 
desires  of  the  Advisory  Committee  but  is,  by  virtue  of  her  re- 
lation to  the  entire  field  and  the  Secretarial  Department  of 
the  Nat  onal  Board,  able  to  suggest  names  of  experienced  and 
trained  college  women  who  have  proved  their  ability  to  ad- 
minister the  work  of  a student  Association.  Sometimes  the 
Association  prefers  to  have  an  alumna  as  its  secretary.  In 
such  cases  the  field  student  secretary  can  gather  facts  about 
her  experience  since  leaving  college  and  plan  with  her  for  the 
necessary  Association  training  to  equip  her  for  the  best  pos- 
sible service  to  the  Association.  In  cases  where  the  Associa- 
tion has  no  outstanding  alumna  who  is  desired  as  secretary, 
the  field  student  secretary  in  co-operation  with  the  National 

15 


Secretarial  Department  is  prepared  to  send  names  and 
recommendations  of  leading  college  women  from  other  colleges 
and  universities  who  have  shown  powers  of  leadership  in 
Christian  service.  As  the  Association  has  large  intercolle- 
giate interests  as  well  as  local  interests  it  is  rarely  possible 
for  a local  college  woman  to  make  a successful  general  sec- 
retary without  some  previous  training  in  other  parts  of  the 
Association  field. 

When  the  general  secretary  is  selected,  the  usual  business 
contract  furnished  by  the  field  student  secretary  should  be 
signed  by  both  the  general  secretary  and  the  Advisory  Com- 
mittee as  an  understood  business  obligation. 

(e)  In  Associations  where  there  is  a general  secretary 
the  Advisory  Committee  should  hold  the  general  relation  of 
adviser  to  the  work  of  the  general  secretary,  relating  her  to 
the  various  groups  in  the  college  community  and  to  the  va- 
rious social  forces  at  work.  The  committee  is  the  permanent 
business  backer  of  the  general  secretary  and  should  hold 
itself  responsible  for  seeing  that  the  salary  is  paid  each 
month  and  that  the  financial  resources  are  adequately  pro- 
vided for  through  the  Association  budget  and  special  sub- 
scriptions. 

(3)  Financial  Support  of  the  Association 
The  Association  membership  should,  without  doubt,  meet 
the  running  expenses  of  the  Association  and  its  gifts  to  the 
field  and  national  work.  It  is  also  responsible  for  the  promo- 
tion of  the  special  giving  to  missions.  There  are  other  obli- 
gations which  may  arise  in  certain  Associations  for  which  the 
Association  needs  guidance  and  the  help  of  the  Advisory 
Committee. 

(a)  In  colleges  where  the  work  of  a general  secretary  is 
needed  the  Association  can  rarely,  if  ever,  provide  in  full 
for  the  salary  of  the  secretary.  This  means  that  the  Advis- 
ory Committee  will  have  to  be  responsible  for  securing  the 
additional  amount  beyond  what  the  Association  is  able  to  con- 
tribute, to  make  up  the  salary.  This  must  be  done  by  the 

16 


subscriptions  of  people  who  are  concerned  about  conserving 
the  Christian  interests  of  our  large  university  and  college 
centers.  It  is  perfectly  reasonable  to  expect  that  the  work 
of  an  interdenominational  Christian  organization  should  need 
more  money  for  its  support  than  can  be  given  by  the  under- 
graduates. The  churches  in  starting  their  work  for  students 
in  State  universities  have  borne  witness  to  the  fact  that 
Christian  church  people  are  interested  in  the  religious  welfare 
of  students.  The  Advisory  Committee,  through  its  view  of 
the  worth-whileness  of  the  Association,  can  vouch  for  the 
Association  as  worthy  of  the  gifts  of  Christian  people.  Some 
Advisory  Committees  hold  themselves  responsible  for  secur- 
ing all  the  salary  of  the  general  secretary  and  some  secure 
part  of  it.  However,  it  is  one  of  the  chief  functions  of  the 
Advisory  Committee  to  help  such  Associations  as  need  a gen- 
eral secretary,  and  to  secure  a permanent  financial  constit- 
uency from  alumnae,  faculty  and  friends. 

(b)  Where  the  Association  undertakes  special  business 
enterprises,  e.  g.,  running  book  shops,  lunch  rooms,  boarding 
houses,  publishing  calendars,  etc.,  the  Advisory  Committee 
should  see  to  it  that  the  finances  are  on  a sound  business 
basis  and  are  not  likely  to  precipitate  the  Association  into 
debt  through  inexperienced  management. 

(c)  The  Advisory  Committee  should  co-op6rate  with  the 
Cabinet  in  seeing  that  the  books  of  the  Association  treasurer 
are  regularly  set  up  and  audited. 

(d)  In  cases  where  the  Association  has  rooms  or  owns 
a building  the  Advisory  Committee  should  plan  with  the  Cab- 
inet for  the  maintenance  and  upkeep,  and  see  that  leases  or 
deeds  are  properly  cared  for. 

VI.  The  General  Secretary  and  the  Advisory  Committee 

The  Advisory  Committee  serves  as  hostess  and  should  fur- 
nish backing  for  the  general  secretary.  Her  work  cannot  be 
effective  unless  she  is  related  to  the  various  groups  in  the 
student  community  and  is  introduced  in  the  proper  way  to 
the  faculty  members  and  church  workers  in  the  community. 

17 


If  she  comes  as  a stranger,  the  Advisory  Committee  may  be 
able  to  make  it  possible  for  her  to  meet  groups  of  students 
not  in  the  Association.  The  secretary  herself  must  prove 
her  right  to  a place  of  importance  in  the  college  community, 
but  her  initial  backing  should  come  from  the  Advisory  Com- 
mittee. The  committee  can  also  do  much  in  helping  the  Cab- 
inet to  understand  what  work  the  general  secretary  should 
be  asked  to  do.  Because  of  a larger  perspective  the  commit- 
tee can  better  relate  the  secretary  to  those  Association  inter- 
ests that  will  further  the  work  as  a whole  and  bring  the  As- 
sociation into  its  largest  relation  with  the  life  of  the  college. 
For  the  executive  work  of  the  Association’s  committees  the 
secretary  looks  to  the  Cabinet  for  guidance;  for  the  outreach 
and  relationships  of  the  Association  as  an  organization  the 
secretary  should  look  to  the  Advisory  Committee  for  guid- 
ance. 

There  will  be  many  problems  too  great  for  the  secretary 
to  solve.  Most  of  them  she  can  bring  to  the  entire  commit- 
tee; some  of  them  will  be  of  such  personal  nature  that  she 
will  need  the  council  of  some  one  committee  member  who 
knows  intimately  the  life  of  the  college  student.  It  will  be 
the  task  of  the  secretary  to  understand  well  the  ideals  of  the 
institution  and  under  the  guidance  of  both  the  Advisory  Com- 
mittee and  the  Cabinet  to  be  a wise  administrator  of  all  those 
matters  that  require  more  than  the  undergraduate  cabinet  of- 
ficer can  give. 

Conclusion 

The  suggestions  that  have  been  made  in  this  leaflet  embody 
the  best  experience  compiled  from  the  work  of  Advisory  Com- 
mittees in  fifty  or  more  universities  and  colleges.  At  best 
they  are  merely  outlines  and  are  meant  to  stimulate  thinking 
and  original  study.  In  all  the  work  of  relating  the  student  As- 
sociation to  the  life  of  the  college  and  to  outside  interests  that 
concern  women  in  the  larger  work  of  the  world,  the  Advisory 
Committee  will  find  the  Field  Committee  of  the  National 
Board  of  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations  a great  re- 

18 


source  of  help.  Through  the  visits  of  the  field  student  secre- 
tary and  her  opportunities  for  making  a comparative  study 
of  college  girls  in  many  institutions  the  Advisory  Committee 
can  find  new  ways  of  working,  and  counsel  in  meeting  stu- 
dent problems.  A college  is  a great  distributing  center  of 
power,  and  fortunate  indeed  is  that  committee  member  who, 
by  reason  of  residence  in  a student  community,  can  have  a 
share  in  releasing  for  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  a multitude  of 
intelligent  Christian  college  women  who  have  been  inspired 
through  the  Christian  Association  to  give  their  enthusiastic 
service  in  varied  ways  to  bring  in  that  Kingdom.  It  is  not 
every  woman  who  has  this  chance.  It  is  for  the  members  of 
the  Advisory  Committee  to  see  their  great  privilege  and  give 
themselves  heartily  to  this  service. 


19 


PUBLICATIONS  FOR  LEADERS  OF  EIGHT  WEEK 

CLUBS 


1.  How  to  Promote  Eight  Week  Clubs  in  the  Colleges,  by 
Mabel  Stone.  5 cents. 

2.  College  Women  and  Country  Leadership,  the  study  book, 
by  Jessie  Field,  national  secretary  for  country  work.  25 
cents. 

3.  For  Leaders  of  Eight  Week  Clubs  (among  American 
girls)  by  Jessie  Field.  10  cents. 

4.  An  International  Friendship  Club  (among  foreign  girls) 
by  Edith  Terry  Bremer,  national  secretary  for  immi- 
gration and  foreign  community  work.  15  cents. 

Eight  Week  Club  Packet  containing  1,  2 and  3 or  4 (cross 
out  one  not  wanted).  40  cents. 

Texts: 

Out  of  Doors  in  the  Bible,  by  Ethel  Cutler.  A pilgrimage 
with  outdoor  people  of  both  Testaments.  Written  espe- 
cially for  summer  use.  15  cents. 

Jesus  Among  His  Friends,  by  Ethel  Cutler.  Six  stories  from 
the  life  of  Christ.  15  cents. 

Christian  Citizenship  for  Girls,  by  Helen  Thoburn.  Ten 
chapters  on  a girl’s  relation  to  home,  work,  worship, 
recreation,  friends,  etc.  25  cents. 

Note:  The  five  cent  leaflet,  “Two  Kinds  of  College  Girls,” 

containing  “little  stories”  by  Oolooah  Burner  and  Abbie 

Graham,  is  of  special  interest  to  Eight  Week  Club  leaders. 

Order  from 

Publication  Department,  National  Board  Young  Women’s 
Christian  Associations, 

600  Lexington  Avenue,  New  York  City. 


STUDENT  LEAFLETS 
For  Universities  and  Large  Colleges 
Advisory  Committee.  Bertha  Conde.  10  cents. 

Association  Membership  and  Church  Work.  Bertha  Conde. 
10  cents. 

Association  Meetings.  Oolooah  Burner.  10  cents. 
Association  News  Committee.  Edith  Dabb.  5 cents. 
Bible  Study  Committee  and  the  Voluntary  Study  Plan. 
Ethel  Cutler.  10  cents. 

Cabinet,  The.  Bertha  Conde.  5 cents. 

World  Fellowship  (for  the  Missionary  Committee).  Mar- 
garet Burton.  10  cents. 

Conferences  and  Conventions  Committee.  Louise  Brooks. 
5 cents. 

Finance  Committee.  Blanche  Geary.  5 cents. 

How  to  Promote  Eight  Week  Clubs.  Mabel  Stone.  5 cents. 
How  to  Realize  Our  National  Association  Membership. 
Eliza  R.  Butler.  10  cents. 

For  Colleges,  Seminaries  and  Academies 
The  first  six  leaflets  listed  above,  and  “World  Fellowship,” 
“Conferences  and  Conventions  Committee,”  “How  to  Pro- 
mote Eight  Week  Clubs,”  and  “How  to  Realize  Our  National 
Association  Membership,”  as  listed  above.  In  addition: 
Committee  Work  in  Small  Associations.  Eleanor  Rich- 
ardson. 5 cents. 

Finance  Committee  in  a School  or  College  Association. 
Edith  Helmer.  10  cents. 

Social  Service  Committee.  Eliza  R.  Butler.  5 cents. 
Year’s  Outline  for  Religious  Meetings.  Oolooah  Burner. 
10  cents. 

Note:  As  the  cost  of  each  of  these  lists  totals  $1.05,  a 

packet  of  each  will  be  sent  for  $1.00. 

Watch  The  Association  Monthly  for  announcement  of 
additional  leaflets  during  1916-17. 

Order  from 

Publication  Department 

National  Board  of  the  Young  Women’s  Christian  Associations 

600  LEXINGTON  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK 


